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TAKE BAT!

The names Abebe Bikila and Jay DeMerit might not ring a bell, and maybe neither will Devon Harris or George Fitch.

But chances are, most will know of them.

Bikila: barefoot runner, Ethiopian, a last -minute substitute who struck gold in the marathon at 1960 Rome Olympics.

DeMerit: An American footballer - soccer player - who went from turning out for pub teams to playing for the United States at the 2010 World Cup.

And Hariss and Fitch, two men who were instrumental in taking the Jamaican bobsled team to the 1988 Calgary Winter Olympics - made famous by the movie Cool Runnings.

Here in Incheon, South Korea, the Asian Games may yet get its own unlikely underdog story, in the form of the South Korean men's cricket team.

While it doesn't have the beginnings of a rags to wild success and riches story, South Korea's cricketers aren't quite comfortable with a flat-faced bat.

Made up mostly of baseball players who have played cricket only for the last 18 months, they will face Malaysia and China in Group A of the tournament.

Coach Julien Fountain has modest hopes for his boys.

SIMPLE

"I want them to focus on doing their own jobs... It's simple stuff - see the ball, hit the ball," he said.

"Cricket in this country is virtually non-existent... However, one of the strengths here is that with baseball being popular, players have natural ball skills. They can throw, catch, hit, they have that advantage."

Team captain Kim Kyung Sik is dreaming a little bigger, starting with a win over Malaysia in their opening fixture on Sept 27.

"Since we are participating in the Asian Games for the first time, they won't consider us as their rivals. This can actually work in our favour and become a strength," said Kim.

"I hope we get more sponsors to help us continue playing cricket. Some in the team didn't go to the army. And if we win gold, it will exempt them from military duties. We need to produce successful results."

Englishman Fountain is as perfect a fit as can be hoped for.

The cricket coach is a former Great Britain Olympic baseball player, and a specialist in baseball-style power batting techniques.

South Korea may well spring a surprise at the Asiad, especially on home soil, but Fountain is keeping his feet on the ground.

But he said: "Some have been playing for only nine months, some a little longer - about 18 months, so when you see what they can do, it's not bad."